DEVICE AND SYSTEM FOR PURIFYING AIR AND METHOD OF USE

Abstract

A device for cleaning air, particularly outdoors, includes at least one housing (2) having at least one air inlet (3), filter means (4, 5), at least one fan (6), and at least one air outlet (8, 108, 208). The device is inexpensive and easy to use, and enables the user to remove pollutants from air at arbitrary times at arbitrary location because the device is transportable and implemented for positioning at different installation sites. The device may include transport means (11), particularly a chassis (11) having wheels (12). An arrangement may include a plurality of devices for cleaning air, and a software-based application, particularly a smartphone application, may be used for controlling the plurality of devices for cleaning air.

Claims

1. A device for cleaning air, comprising a housing (2) having at least one air inlet (3), at least one filter (4, 5), at least one fan (6), and at least one air outlet (8, 108, 208), wherein the device is transportable and configured for positioning at different installation sites.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises a chassis (11) having wheels (12).

3. The device according to claim 2, further comprising a motor for driving the wheels (12).

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured for autonomous mobility.

5. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a power supply (7, 14, 15, 16, 30).

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the power supply comprises at least one of a photovoltaic system (14), a fuel cell (30), an electrical power connection (15), a rechargeable battery, and a power generator.

7-9. (canceled)

10. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a device control unit (9) for controlling a cleaning power level as a function of an input parameter, wherein the device control unit (9) is configured for exchanging data with at least one of an external unit and a further device (1) for cleaning air (21).

11. The device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor for for determining a parameter (17, 18) characterizing air pollution, for determining a parameter (20) characterizing traffic volume, or for determining a sound level (26) as an input parameter for the control unit.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein a flow direction of the air at the air inlet (3) is at a right angle to a flow direction at the air outlet (8, 108, 208) when the device is used properly.

13. The device according to claim 12, further comprising an air deflector (137, 237) disposed between the air inlet (3) and the air outlet (8, 108, 208).

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein an air deflector inlet area (138, 238) is greater than an air deflector outlet area (139, 239), the air deflector inlet area (138, 238) preferably being approximately three times as great as the air deflector outlet area (139, 239).

15. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least one fan (6) is configured as an in-line fan, as a fan having a controllable disc armature motor, or as a fan having reverse-curved blades.

16. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one filter comprises a pre-filter, a particulate matter filter and an activated carbon filter, wherein at least one of the at least one fan (6) is disposed between particulate matter filter (4) and the activated carbon filter (5) or between the pre-filter (28) and the particulate matter filter means (4) along a flow direction.

17. The device according to claim 1, wherein an air inlet (3) is tapered to define an air intake area (35) having a smaller cross-sectional area than a flow-through area (36).

18. (canceled)

19. The device according to claim 1, wherein the housing (2) has dimensions of a standard container with two horizontal dimensions and one vertical dimension, wherein at least one of the two horizontal dimensions is greater than the vertical dimension.

20. The device according to claim 1, wherein the housing (2) is configured for a flow direction horizontal to an installation surface (10).

21. The device according to claim 1, wherein the air inlet (3) of the housing (2) is configured to be disposed at a height between 1.5 m and 2.5 m above an installation surface (10) during operation.

22. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one filter includes a first filter and a second filter, wherein at least one of the first filter and the second filter comprises a pre-filter (28), a matter filter (4), or an activated carbon filter (5).

23. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least one filter (4, 5) comprises threads with a coating for triboelectrically charging by an air flow, the coating comprising a hydrophobic coating material.

24. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least one filter (4, 5) comprises threads having a core with a coating including a heat-activated adhesive for materially bonding to itself or to other threads, wherein the core has a higher melting point than the adhesive, wherein the coating comprises a hydrophobic repellent.

25. A system comprising a plurality of devices for cleaning air according to claim 1, wherein at least some of the devices (1) are configured for exchanging data with each other, and wherein an arrangement control unit (24) is configured for controlling a cleaning power level of the arrangement, wherein at least some of the devices (1) are configured for exchanging data with the arrangement control unit (24).

26. The system according to claim 25, further comprising an air pollution sensor (17, 18) for providing an input parameter characterizing an air pollution for the arrangement control unit (24) and a vehicle detector (20) for providing an input parameter characterizing a traffic volume for the arrangement control unit (24).

27. The system according to claim 26, wherein the arrangement control unit (24) comprises a server storage for providing data of the vehicle detector (20) or data of the air pollution measuring means (17, 18) in a data network.

28. (canceled)

29. The system according to claim 26, wherein the arrangement control unit (24) is configured for calculating, based on the data of at least one of the vehicle detector (20) and the air pollution measuring means (17, 18), at least one of the following quantities: required power levels of the plurality of devices (1) based on the data of at least one of the vehicle detector (20) and of the air pollution sensor (17, 18); a traffic control resulting in an air pollution that does not exceed a predetermined air pollution value installation sites of the plurality of devices for cleaning air (1) at which an optimal air cleaning result is obtained;

30-31. (canceled)

32. A software-based application for controlling and air-cleaning process of at least one device according to claim 1, wherein the application is configured for communicating with at least one device control unit (9) of a device (1) for cleaning air (21) or for communicating with an arrangement control unit (24) of an arrangement of devices (1) for cleaning air (21).

33. The software-based application according to claim 32, wherein the application is configured for providing information about air pollution or for providing information about traffic volume.

34. The software-based application according to claim 32, wherein the application is configured for controlling a device (1) for cleaning air (1) or for controlling an arrangement of devices (1) for cleaning air (21).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0047] In the drawings,

[0048] FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of an embodiment of the device according to the invention for cleaning airmobile air cleaner;

[0049] FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of an embodiment of the device according to the invention for cleaning airmobile air cleaner;

[0050] FIG. 3 shows a schematic plan view of an embodiment of the arrangement according to the invention of devices according to the invention for cleaning air in a city;

[0051] FIG. 4 shows a schematic section view of a further embodiment of the device according to the invention for cleaning aircombination filter unit;

[0052] FIG. 5 shows a schematic perspective view of a further embodiment of the device according to the invention for cleaning airmobile city air cleaner comprising three combination filter units per FIG. 4;

[0053] FIG. 6 shows a schematic perspective view of a further embodiment of the device according to the invention for cleaning airmobile city air cleaner in a housing design;

[0054] FIG. 7 shows a side view of the embodiment of the device for cleaning air according to the invention per FIG. 6city air cleaner in housing design;

[0055] FIG. 8 shows a schematic section view of a further embodiment of the device according to the invention for cleaning airhorizontal combination filter unit having air deflecting unit;

[0056] FIG. 9 shows a schematic perspective view of a further embodiment of the device according to the invention for cleaning airmobile city air cleaner comprising three combination filter units per FIG. 8;

[0057] FIG. 10 shows a schematic section view of a further embodiment of the device according to the invention for cleaning airvertical combination filter unit having air deflecting unit;

[0058] FIG. 11 shows a schematic perspective view of a further embodiment of the device according to the invention for cleaning airmobile city air cleaner comprising three combination filter units per FIG. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0059] FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of an air cleaning unit 1. Polluted air 21 from the surrounding area enters the housing 2 of the air cleaning unit 1 via the air inlet 3. The air 21 is transported by means of a fan 6 through a particulate matter filter 4 and an activated carbon filter 5, wherein the air is cleaned of pollutants, such as particulate matter and nitrogen oxides, by the two filters. The air 21 is then transported by means of the fan 6 across an exhaust wind generator 7 through the air outlet 8 back to the surrounding area of the air cleaning unit 1. The air cleaning unit 1 has a control unit 9 based on an industrial PC for performing the controlling of all functions of the air cleaning unit 1, such as the fan power, energy management, and/or communicating with peripheral units. The air cleaning unit 1 is presently installed on an asphalt road 10. For transporting, the air cleaning unit 1 has a chassis 11 comprising both wheels 12 for driving or rolling and supports 13 for stable support. For operating autonomously without an external electrical power connection, the air cleaning unit 1 has a photovoltaic system 14 mounted on the housing 2 of the air cleaning unit 1 and generating electricity when the sun shines. The air cleaning unit 1 also comprises an electrical power connection 15 by means of which an external electrical power source can be connected for operating the air cleaning unit 1. A battery 16 is further mounted on the housing 2 and is able to store electrical energy generated by the photovoltaic system 14. The battery can be used for operating the air cleaning unit 1. In order to be able to determine the pollution of the air 21 both at the air inlet 3 and at the air outlet 8, the air cleaning unit has particulate matter sensors 17 and nitrogen oxide sensors 18 at both the air inlet 3 and the air outlet 8.

[0060] In order to be able to determine the current traffic volume, a traffic camera 20 is present on the housing and captures all passing motor vehicles. The current sound level is also captured using a sound level measuring device (26). For communicating, the air cleaning unit comprises a communications device for mobile communications networks (LTE) 19, by means of which the control unit 9 can exchange information with peripheral units, such as other air cleaning units and/or non-central controllers.

[0061] FIG. 2 shows a schematic plan view of an arrangement of a plurality of air cleaning units 1 along a road. The air cleaning units 1 are presently installed along a road 23 traveled by motor vehicles 22. The air cleaning units 1 communicate with the arrangement control unit 24 by means of the communications devices thereof for mobile communications networks (LTE) 19. A non-central air measuring unit 25 is also present at the road for determining air measurement values by means of a particulate matter sensor 17 and a nitrogen oxide sensor 18 and communicates the values to the arrangement control unit 24 by means of a communications device for mobile communications networks (LTE) 19.

[0062] FIG. 3 shows a schematic plan view of an arrangement of a plurality of air cleaning units 1, air measuring units 25, and an arrangement control unit 24 in a city on a city map. The air cleaning units 1 and the air measuring units 25 are distributed around the entire city region shown and are connected to each other for exchanging information by means of the communications devices for mobile communications networks (LTE) 19 and the arrangement control unit 24. FIG. 3 also makes clear that air quality values for a plurality of locations are present due to the particulate matter sensors 17 and nitrogen oxide sensors 18 integrated in the individual air cleaning units 1 and the air measuring units 25. The same applies for the traffic information provided by the traffic cameras 20 integrated in the individual air cleaning units 1.

[0063] FIG. 4 shows a schematic section view of a combination filter unit 27 for an air cleaning unit. Polluted air of the surrounding area 21 enters the combination filter unit 27 via the air inlet 3 tapered down by means of air guide vanes 29. The flow velocity of the intake air 21 at the air inlet 3 in the region of the air intake area 35 is increased by the air guide vanes 29 relative to the flow velocity in the region of the flow-through area 36. The air 21 is transported through a pre-filter 28 and a particulate matter filter 4, here a pocket filter, by means of two fans 6 disposed adjacent to each other parallel to the flow direction, wherein the air 21 is cleaned of pollutants, particularly of particulate matter, by the two filters. The air 21 is then transported by means of the fans 6 across an activated carbon filter 5 through the air outlet 8 back to the surrounding area of the combination filter unit 27. The fans 6 are installed between the particulate matter filter 4 and the activated carbon filter 5 in order to keep the noise emissions of the combination filter unit 27 as low as possible. As explained in detail below, a plurality of combination filter units 27 can be combined into an air cleaning unit.

[0064] FIG. 5 shows a schematic perspective view of a mobile air cleaning unit 1. The air cleaning unit 1 comprises three combination filter units 27 per FIG. 4, mounted on a chassis 11 having a housing 3 and each comprising an air inlet 3 and an air outlet 8. The chassis 11 comprises wheels 12 in order to be able to be transported by a motor vehicle, for example. The chassis 11 also comprises supports 13 in order to able to be set up at a location at which the air is to be cleaned, for example, and to be able to compensate for unevenness in the ground. Batteries 16 are disposed in a storage space 34 in the front part of the housing 3 of the air cleaning unit 1 and supply electrical power to the combination filter units 27 of the air cleaning unit 1, particularly the fans 6 of the combination filter units 27; see FIG. 4. The batteries 16 are charged by means of fuel cells 30, in turn supplied with fuel, here methanol, by methanol tanks 30.

[0065] FIG. 6 shows a schematic perspective view of an air cleaning unit 1 in a housing design comprising the three combination filter units 27 from FIG. 4, not shown, in the interior of the housing 2. The air cleaning unit 1 is installed by means of height-adjustable supports 13 at a location where polluted air 21 is cleaned. The polluted air 21 of the surrounding area enters the air cleaning unit 1 via an air inlet 3 integrated in the housing 2, permeates the combination filter units 27, as described with reference to FIG. 4, and then exits to the surrounding area again through an air outlet 8 integrate in a double-wing door 32. Batteries 16 are disposed in a storage space 34 of the air cleaning unit 1 and supply electrical power to the combination filter units 27, particularly the fans 6 of the combination filter units 27; see FIG. 4. The batteries 16 are charged by means of fuel cells 30, in turn supplied with fuel, here methanol, by methanol tanks 30. The batteries can also be charged by a photovoltaic system 14 present on the housing 2 of the air cleaning unit 1.

[0066] FIG. 7 shows a side view of the air cleaning unit 1 from FIG. 6. As can be seen, the air cleaning unit 1 comprises a pull-out system 33 in order to place combination filter units 27 from FIG. 4 into the housing 2 of the air cleaning unit 1. To this end, a double-wing door 32 comprising an air inlet 3 is opened. The pull-out system 33 facilitates both placing and removing the combination filter units 27, as the units are guided by the pull-out system 33. Maintenance of the combination filter units 27 is also advantageously facilitated in this manner; batteries 16 are disposed in a storage space 34 of the housing 2 of the air cleaning unit 1 and supply electrical power to the combination filter units 27, particularly the fans 6 of the combination filter units; see FIG. 4. The batteries 16 are charged by means of fuel cells 30, in turn supplied with fuel, here methanol, by methanol tanks 30. The batteries can also be charged by a photovoltaic system 14 present on the housing 2 of the air cleaning unit 1.

[0067] FIG. 8 shows a schematic section view of a combination filter unit 127 for an air cleaning unit. The structure corresponds to the combination filter unit 27 from FIG. 4. Deviating from the embodiment in FIG. 4, however, the air 21 is deflected by 90 degrees by an air deflecting unit 137 upstream of the air outlet, so that the air 21 is blown out of the combination filter unit 127 deflected at the air outlet 108 by 90 degrees from the air flow direction in the housing 2 and from the air flow direction at the air inlet 3. When the combination filter unit 127 is used properly, this means that the air 21 at the air inlet 3 is taken in horizontally by means of the fans 6 in the combination filter unit 127 and is blown out of the combination filter unit 127 vertically upward at the air outlet 108 by means of the fans 6, that is, opposite the earth's gravitational field. Here the air deflecting unit 137 is welded together from four metal sheets into a box have two openings offset 90 degrees from each other.

[0068] FIG. 9 shows a schematic perspective view of a mobile air cleaning unit 1. The construction of the air cleaning unit 1 corresponds substantially to the construction of the air cleaning unit from FIG. 5. Deviating from the embodiment in FIG. 5, however, the air cleaning unit 1 comprises three combination filter units 127 per FIG. 8, so that the air 21 is blown out of the combination filter unit 127 at the air outlet 108 deflected by 90 degrees from the intake direction of the air 21 at the air inlet 3. When the air cleaning unit 1 is used properly, this means that the air 21 is taken into the combination filter units 127 horizontally at the air inlets 3 and is blown out of the combination filter units 127 of the air cleaning unit 1 at the air outlets 108 vertically upward, that is, opposite the earth's gravitational field.

[0069] FIG. 10 shows a schematic section view of a combination filter unit 227 for an air cleaning unit. The structure corresponds to the combination filter unit 127 from FIG. 8. Deviating from the embodiment in FIG. 8, however, the combination filter unit 227 is not designed for horizontal, but rather for vertical operation. When the combination filter unit 227 is used properly, this means that the air 21 at the air inlet 3 is taken in vertically upward, that is, opposite the earth's gravitational field, by means of the fans 6 in the combination filter unit 227 and is blown out of the combination filter unit 27 horizontally at the air outlet 208 by means of the fans 6.

[0070] FIG. 11 shows a schematic perspective view of a mobile air cleaning unit 1. The structure of the air cleaning unit 1 corresponds substantially to the structure of the air cleaning unit from FIG. 9. Deviating from the embodiment in FIG. 9, however, the air cleaning unit 1 comprises three combination filter units 227 per FIG. 10, so that when the air cleaning unit 1 is used properly the air 21 is taken into the combination filter units 227 of the air cleaning unit 1 vertically upward, that is, opposite the earth's gravitational field, at the air inlets 3 and is blow out of the combination filter units 227 of the air cleaning unit 1 horizontally at the air outlets 208.

[0071] The application of the device according to the invention for cleaning air, the arrangement of a plurality of devices for cleaning air, and the software-based application for devices for cleaning air are explained below:

[0072] The air cleaning unit 1 is transported to the installation site by means of the chassis 11, if present in the design, and is positioned on the installation surface, here an asphalt road 10, by means of the supports 13. The air cleaning unit 1 is then connected to an external electrical power source by means of the electrical power connection 15 in order to provide the electrical power for operating, and is put into operation. If no external electrical power source is present, or the air cleaning unit 1 does not comprise an electrical power connection 15, then operating takes place by means of the photovoltaic system 14 and/or the electrical energy stored in the batteries 16, charged either by a fuel cell 30, the electrical power connection 15, or the photovoltaic system 14, depending on the design.

[0073] When the air cleaning unit 1 is put into operation, the air 21 of the surrounding area is transported by the fan(s) 6 via the air inlet 3 through the particulate matter filter 4 and the activated carbon filter 5 and is cleaned of pollutants such as particulate matter and nitrogen oxides, wherein the fan 6 or fans 6 are installed between the particulate matter filter 4 and the activated carbon filter 5 in some designs. For some designs, a pre-filter 28 can also be present. Along the air guides in the housing 2 of the air cleaning unit 1, the air 21 can be transported further across an exhaust wind generator 7 in some designs, by means of which part of the energy required for transporting the air 21 is recaptured. The air 21 is then returned to the surrounding area via the air outlet 8, 108, 208.

[0074] During operation, measured values are continuously determined at the air inlet 3 and the air outlet 8 by means of particulate matter sensors 17 and nitrogen oxide sensors 18 in order to be able to evaluate the cleaning effect of the air cleaning unit 1. Data about the current traffic volume is also recorded continuously during operation by means of a traffic camera 20. Both the data of the traffic camera 20 and the measured values of the particulate matter sensors 17 and nitrogen oxide sensors 18 are transmitted to the control unit 9. The control unit 9 uses the data and measured vales firstly for operating the air cleaning unit 1 controlled by traffic and air pollution. Secondly, the control unit 9 transmits the data and measured values to the arrangement control unit 24 by means of the communications device for mobile communications networks (LTE) 19. The arrangement control unit 24 additionally receives measurement data from other air cleaning units 1 and non-central air measuring units 25 firstly used for coordinated operation of the air cleaning units 1 and secondly made available to users of a smartphone application by means of a server integrated in the arrangement control unit 24.

[0075] Thus various embodiments of a device for cleaning air, particularly outdoors, an arrangement of a plurality of devices for cleaning air, and a software-based application, particularly a smartphone application, for devices for cleaning air are disclosed, being inexpensive and simple to use, and enabling the user to clean pollutants from air at arbitrary times and arbitrary places.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0076] 1 Air cleaning unit

[0077] 2 Housing

[0078] 3 Air inlet

[0079] 4 Particulate matter filter

[0080] 5 Activated carbon filter

[0081] 6 Fan

[0082] 7 Exhaust wind generator

[0083] 8 Air outlet

[0084] 9 Control unit

[0085] 10 Asphalt road

[0086] 11 Chassis

[0087] 12 Wheels

[0088] 13 Supports

[0089] 14 Photovoltaic system

[0090] 15 Electrical power connection

[0091] 16 Battery

[0092] 17 Particulate matter sensor

[0093] 18 Nitrogen oxide sensor

[0094] 19 Communications device for mobile communications networks (LTE)

[0095] 20 Traffic camera

[0096] 21 Air

[0097] 22 Motor vehicle

[0098] 23 Road

[0099] 24 Arrangement control unit

[0100] 25 Non-central air measuring unit

[0101] 26 Sound level measuring device

[0102] 27 Combination filter unit

[0103] 28 Pre-filter

[0104] 29 Air guide vane

[0105] 30 Fuel cell

[0106] 31 Methanol tanks

[0107] 32 Double-wing door

[0108] 33 Pull-out system

[0109] 34 Storage space

[0110] 35 Air intake area

[0111] 36 Flow-through area

[0112] 108 Air outlet

[0113] 127 Combination filter unit

[0114] 137 Air deflecting unit

[0115] 138 Air deflecting unit inlet area

[0116] 139 Air deflecting unit outlet area

[0117] 208 Air outlet

[0118] 227 Combination filter unit

[0119] 237 Air deflecting unit

[0120] 238 Air deflecting unit inlet area

[0121] 239 Air deflecting unit outlet area